My Birthday Is Here!

OMG!!!!! In a few days I will be 40 YEARS OLD!!! and 24 years living with HIV! When I was infected in 1989 at the age of 16 and then diagnosed 1 week after my 18th bday, on April 18 1991, IT WAS A DEATH SENTENCE! They gave us MAX 10 YEARS TO LIVE. I wrote in my Hello Kitty diary that max I would live to see 28 and that is how it was. We had no meds!! No viral load exams! No social media or internet! NOTHING! IT WAS A DEATH SENTENCE! NOW IT IS A LIFE SENTENCE!! BUT ... I AM HERE. Please, when you know better, you do better! Get tested, know your status! Do not trust anyone with your life!! And use protection!

I am blessed! I am here! and I will continue to fight Until There's A Cure or my last breath. It is living or dying for me! I WANT LIFE!

LOVE AND LIGHT
˜ MARIA T MEJIA ˜

P.S. -- For those that might be interested, check out this vblog about a poz cruise I am involved in ... it is a really special treat for people living with (and affected by) HIV and their families:

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I am a Colombian female who lives in Miami, Florida. I've been positive for 20 years. Although almost all my life I've been in long-term relationships with HIV-negative men, I am happily married to a woman who is wonderful and caring. We have been together almost three years and she is HIV negative. I have no children but we will look into having! I am an activist, a peer educator, a caregiver. I volunteered for the Red Cross in education for the Hispanic HIV community and also the American community. I was a pre- and post-test counselor. I have spoken in many conferences and done a lot of outreach in the community, especially in the schools for prevention and education. It is part of my everyday life to educate everyone I can on this subject. Being HIV positive is nothing to be ashamed about! We are strong women, and we will take away all the stigmas slowly but we have to open up.

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